Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Here's another American icon for the Chop House wall. The talk about these portraits is growing all the time. Locals in Montgomery have fun tossing their 2 cents around about whomever is featured on any given week. I recently sold my Audrey Hepburn (I was very tempted to keep her to myself). This allowed for a couple more pieces to be placed on the wall. The crow's eye has iridescent paint in it and will glow in the dark; a detail that the restaurant staff was glad that I shared. I hope that you enjoy and if you are ever in Montgomery, stop by The Chop House and tell Patrick that Jared sent you. - Jared

Monday, August 30, 2010

This sign is painted on reclaimed pressure-treated wood. It is extremely sturdy and would make a great defensive implement next to any one's bed. Humor is always a nice addition to any piece of art and I had fun thinking of the "worst branding for a tattoo parlor". Of course there are many other names I may paint in the future, but this one made me laugh right when I thought of it. Everything is hand painted and distressed. As seen in the photo, screw-eyes are inserted in the top to allow for hanging. This item will be shipped with fine grade hemp rope, ready to hang. Stay tuned for more parlor names. Enjoy - Jared

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Here's a sign just in time for the greatest season of the year - Auburn football. I honestly think that I love Auburn football more than the Christmas season, though Santa pulls a very close second. At least my power bill doesn't spike by $200 during the football season. This sign was painted on reclaimed pressure treated wood. The weathering seen on the surface was largely done by hand, though I did leave the finished product outside for a while. I drilled two holes in the top corners for your choice of hanging material. I've used fine hemp rope in the past and it goes very well with the aged nature of the artwork. This would look absolutely awesome above a front door walkway or porch. Enjoy - Jared

Friday, August 27, 2010

For the last few years, I've nearly abandoned the use of canvas in my art completely. Thus, small mounds of canvas lye dormant on my studio floor, in cabinets, and tucked away in corners. Once again I turned to Restoration Hardware to dig for ideas and saw these faux-mercantile throw pillows. I decided to make my own in the same vane.

I took raw canvas and taped it to the studio wall. Next I mixed up a wash of acrylic paint - steamed milk and a touch of medium gray. After a couple coats of this mixture, I let it dry and then used a latex taupe hue to paint the lettering and logo. The taupe came from the hardware store's miss-matched paints in the clearance aisle. I think I got a quart for $1 - Gotta love that!!

I placed a few letter stencils on the pillow and arranged them until I was satisfied with the arch, leaving plenty of room to paint the lobster logo. I liked the idea of the letters closely approaching the edge of the pillow, perhaps even being cut short in the sewing. However in the end everything remained completely visible.

If you like relaxing on the sofa and rubbing your face on a 220 grade pillow surface, possibly removing half your 5 o'clock shadow in the process, then this material is for you. However, I have invested a little money in softer, more appropriate fabrics which make the texture of the pillow much more pleasurable. If you'd like to have a custom pillow made just contact me. Hope you enjoy - Jared

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Assorted SignageLarge = 4x20" $20 Small = 4x10" $15 , Scroll down to purchase a set

I have been accumulating lots of scrap wood over the last several months and have tried to keep my eyes open for a good use for them. Last month I was flipping through our Pottery Barn catalog and noticed this style of signage hanging in the background of one of the featured rooms. BINGO! That was the perfect use for these scraps. They are also a great platform for me to experiment with new techniques for distressing and aging my artworks.

If you are interested in purchasing one of these ready-to-hang signs, see below. Though the originals for this image have already been snatched up, I have plenty more scrap wood to reproduce each one. The great thing about this is that no 2 signs will ever be exactly the same. You may request your own custom wording as well. Just click below or contact email me HERE. Enjoy - Jared

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

I finally got back into the studio this week. It's been hectic lately with lots of traveling, car troubles, catching up at the office, and finding time to eat and sleep. I really notice a difference when I haven't painted for days. I honestly don't feel totally happy or totally satisfied unless I have completed a piece of art in the studio. It doesn't matter how big or small, it just has to be completed. Nothing is better than standing back sipping on a beverage and looking at your newly finished creation. It's an awesome feeling.Which brings me to Hershey. I am an eleven year TALK RADIO addict. When I was 18 and working as a clueless bank teller (yes they hire clueless people as tellers. That should terrify you) I discovered the Almighty Rush Limbaugh. I've been hooked ever since. I listen to everything on the conservative (AKA: Right!) side of the aisle. I don't have even the slightest desire to hear what tripe the left is wasting their breathe on airing on other stations. From local talk radio in the early morning to Rush, Laura, Beck, and Boortz I'm catching it all. Recently, I have been impressed with Beck's promotion of local patriot artists, namely Steve Penley. This got me thinking about ways I might be able to improve my name recognition in a similar manner. I decided to send this pet portrait to a local talk radio host named Greg Budell here in the Montgomery area. He mentions his dog, Hershey, on a regular basis so I knew there was a good chance that Greg would appreciate the painting. After a few hours of having fun last night, the piece was finished, complete with Americana flare and drooling with patriotism. This morning I was able to drop it off at his studio with a note that asked him to do me just one favor if he truly liked the painting and that was to simply mention me on the radio show. It worked! Greg was generous enough to not only mention me by name but gave out my blog address as well. I can't wait to see what traffic this creates for me. The other positive is that my chances are good that any commissions that come from the new visitors to the blog will be from clear-minded, America-loving, Joe-the-plumbing, conservative patriots!!!! Thanks again Greg and best of luck in all you do.